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Dear Mr Government
A whole host of employers aren’t quite geared up to support the number and variety of flexible working applications being flung their way and therefore make the least creative and quickest decision, which in my opinion (and many others) is often not the best for the employee nor the employer.
It is great that we now all have the right to apply for flexible working and do not need to disclose the reasons for the application but what is the
I question whether simply the right to apply for flexible working is enough.
I understand that smaller companies could find accommodating requests difficult and perhaps impossible; but are larger companies employing
Do you have the statistics? Do you have the number of applications, the number of appeals, the number of acceptances, and an idea of the reasons for refusal? If not, why not? How can you know a policy change is suitable and appropriate if you are just assuming it is working
So many people are scared to speak up about this. My friends and family have concerns that I will bring trouble to my door which will make my working life difficult, but now is not the time to be silenced with fear, now is not the time to be hushed, it is the time to speak. This is about our society and the legislation and guidance available. Currently there is little by way of escalation or support if your application is mishandled or misjudged – for example if you have worked in the working
It is not just women – men want to be valued as working parents. They want to be taken as seriously when making applications. They are fathers and shouldn’t be mocked or viewed as a man on a career decline because he expresses an interest in his family life. He too should be respected for his decision and most certainly not have employers consider it any less important than an application from a
I understand the current Government has stated that it is willing and committed to look into the disproportionate number of women in comparison to men in the higher paid, higher powered, and higher skilled jobs. I understand this Government is committed to looking into the Equal Pay Gap. I hope this Government is also interested in smashing the glass ceiling which seems to be ever present.
Imagine if we had a culture where men and women felt they could both be valued at home and at work; imagine if we promoted balance for both
In a society that now accepts that a father has an invaluable role within the family, within our culture and within our society, where we are making
Why are lower skilled jobs more flexible? Solely because more people can do them (?) – If this is the case why would a company not want to keep their more difficult to source,
If this Government is serious in tackling the equal pay gap – should it not also consider the compatibility of the work place with family life? Mothers and fathers want to raise their children but are being held back, refused the opportunity to have the time without falling off their career ladder. Is this to the benefit of our society, especially now that Grandparents are working later into
I think it is true that if women could find flexible higher powered and salaried positions after having children they would take them and if men did not feel shamed for taking a step into their family they would. There probably would then not be such a frequent requirement to step down the ladder or
Perhaps if the Government really want citizens of this country to have these opportunities to flourish at work and at home it will promote an awareness, task large companies with targets, and challenge the work place standards and then eventually maybe the dream of equality in the workplace will be the norm.
Perhaps the Government would like to look
Something needs to be done. Flexibility in attitude needs to be
It clearly will not always be possible to accommodate flexible working applications – but sometimes, and many times, the solution is overlooked.
I ask that you meet with groups of flexible working applicants and employers (both big and small) to uncover what is really happening, because in the silence there is fear from both the employee and the employer. The process is often not
Instead of flat refusals should the onuses not be on the employers to offer alternative solutions, ideas, compromises, discussions and trial periods if there is going to be a real cultural change within the workplace and for gender equality? The Government needs to lead a change in corporation thinking.
We are heading in the right direction but a lot more needs to be done.
And if not you, who? And if not now, when?
So please look into this in our area and
Taa.
The Mama Cave.